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16 Things Parenting Bloggers Can't Live Without

By: Mina Hochberg

We asked parenting bloggers to tell us what items make their lives easier, whether it’s products that save time and money, apps that simplify daily tasks or things that just make kids more manageable. Here are 16 of our favorite tips.

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Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/mromka

Scooters

Ilana Wiles, creator of Mommy Shorts, relies on scooters to get around Manhattan with her daughters, now that they’ve outgrown strollers. “My oldest daughter got hers when she was three and it was a game changer,” says Wiles. “We could cover so much more ground while we were walking around the city. My younger daughter started before she was two and they scoot everywhere now.”

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Photo: Gina Kirk

Baby Wipes

Gina Kirk, creator of Is She Really, never leaves her house without a pack of wipes in her tote. “This sounds ridiculous, I realize, but they have so many uses,” she says. “You never know when you need to wipe hands, a face, a shopping cart, mascara.”

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Photo: Gina Kirk

Easy Photo Editing Apps

Edit your photos quickly and instantly with Snapseed, an app that offers easy-to-use filters and tools. “I use Snapseed because it’s rare that I can take out my big camera and get the same spur-of-the-moment shot that I can capture on my phone,” says Gina Kirk. “This app is wonderful for brightening and adding color to photos without making them look super grainy.”

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Photo: Mina Hochberg

"Slow" Foods

Joanna Goddard, creator of Cup of Jo, loves to bring “slow foods” when traveling with her kids. What’s a slow food? Basically, any food that takes a long time to eat and keeps the kids happy and calm for as long as possible. Think dehydrated fruits, lollipops and day-old bagels.

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